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Central Missouri Police Academy Growing to Meet Demand

Contact: Mike GreifeWARRENSBURG, MO (March 16, 2015) – The Central Missouri Police Academy, located on the campus of the University of Central Missouri, is seeing record growth as it continues to serve the Missouri law enforcement community by offering training required for Missouri peace officers along with college credit for those who attend the academy.

According to Colin Comer, director of the academy, the success of the academy, which provides the 600 hours of training required for the Class A Peace Officer license in Missouri, is measured in the number of graduates who are successful in joining the law enforcement profession following graduation from the academy.

“In 2013, a little more than 81 percent of our graduates were employed in law enforcement within one year of graduation,” Comer said. “In 2014, we saw that percentage grow to 85 percent. In 2013, 95 percent of those enrolled completed the full academy course, and that percentage rose to 98 percent in 2014. Overall, close to 100 percent of our graduates pass the mandatory Missouri Peace Officer Standards and Training certification exam on the first attempt.” Comer added that the current academy class of 25 is the largest full semester class to date.

The CMPA offers three basic academies per year. The fall and spring academy sessions coincide in length with the UCM semesters. The minimum requirement for certification is 600 hours of training, with the CMPA currently providing 641 hours of training. Enrollment is open to all who meet the requirements for admission.

The academy also is open to UCM students enrolled in the criminal justice degree program, with 15 enrolled in the current class. According to Comer, these students can graduate from UCM with a degree in criminal justice and their state POST certification in hand once they successfully pass the state exam.

“That’s a huge benefit to degree graduates as they enter the work force,” Comer said, “We’ve also noticed that the criminal justice majors add a great deal to the course and the class seems to perform better overall.”

Assistance with the cost of the course is provided by GI Bill veteran’s benefits, and the Dama Cooper Police Officer Scholarship, endowed through the UCM Foundation by the family of the late law enforcement veteran, also offers financial assistance. Other costs may also be covered and some fee exemptions are available for veterans, with assistance is available through the UCM Office of Military and Veterans Services. Placement assistance is also provided through the UCM Office of Career Services. Career counselors can assist with resume building and interview techniques.

For Comer, the quality of instruction provided by the CMPA is the direct result of the veteran instructional staff that has been assembled.

“Our instructors come from a variety of backgrounds, agencies, and jurisdictions,” Comer said. “We have instructors from rural and metropolitan jurisdictions and state agencies. They have worked at local, state, and federal levels, and have functioned in virtually every assignment and level of law enforcement.”

In addition to the Class A certificate, the academy also offers a variety of certificate programs. They include, but are not limited to,

According to Comer, the CMPA continues to expand its offering in response to the education and training needs of Missouri law enforcement.

“We’ve launched efforts to connect with criminal justice programs on other campuses and with military personnel to them aware of our training opportunities,” he said. “We’ve also begun offering continuing education classes for in-service officer re-certification. We also have plans to bring national training seminars to the CMPA to offered more varied course content, along with the future development of a citizen’s academy to educate the public about the real world of law enforcement.”

For information about the Central Missouri Police Academy, including the enrollment application and requirements, visit ucmo.edu/cmpa, or contact the academy at 200 Ming Street, Warrensburg, Mo. 64093, 660-543-4090.